A Pirates Life For Me
by ChelseaGall
Summary: This is Jack, why Jack is the way Jack is, and how he got to be where he is. Told from Jack's point of view.


Disclaimer: I do not own PotC - but you knew that.

Summary: This is Jack, why Jack is the way Jack is, and how he got to be where he is now.

Kinda short - a muse decided that Jack needed to explain some things, this is his story. Told from Jack's POV

A Pirate's Life For Me

People think that I'm just a stupid ignorant pirate. That I don't know what the sonnets are, that I haven't ever read something that could ever have a meaning, a deep message that benefits people on various levels. Well they're all damn wrong. I've read the best of them. All the poets, the novelists, I've listened to the preachers, telling me just how I should live my life to be held within Gods good graces. I did for a while. Being the good, polite child. Paying attention to my elders, listening to the wisdom of my grandparents, when my peers told me one thing I looked at it from other angles, when my mother or father told me how the house was run I abided it. For a time.

That was when I met him. The free spirit. I was a mere sixteen and I was terribly naive. He told me I was made for better things. That I was made to soar be free, like the Sparrow. I didn't understand at the time, I thought he was just another crazy sailor. Moma had told me to stay away from men like him. They were full of lies and riddled with disease. Personally I didn't see much wrong with him, other than the fact that he was slightly insane, but I had learned from the old folks living with my great grandmother that insanity had its advantages, for instance everything was much more fun.

Now I didn't make a habit of disobeying my mother, not then. It was an accident actually that I had actually come to be aboard his ship. My puppy ran off, chasing a cat. The old man figured that I had decided to leave with them, and when I protested he was mighty annoyed. If Chance hadn't bit the old blighter I'd probably have been hit rather hard. But after I had got off the ship, swam back to the dock, Chance following, I couldn't stop from thinking what it might have been like had I left. What would life at sea had been for me?

By the time I was eighteen I was plagued by the sea, she was in my dreams, my every waking thoughts, all I could think of was the sound of the tide hitting the breakwater, of the waves lapping at the wood of the docks. I imagined what it was be like to be rocked to sleep on her power every night, to be held in her protection for the rest of my life. Things started to go down hill from then on in. I informed my mother I wished to be a sailor, now this wasn't the problem; father was a sailor and a very good one. But I didn't want to be one of the Navel Men like father. I didn't want to wear a uniform and answer to other people's commands. Oh no, that was not what I wanted to be. I wanted to be what the sailor at the docks had called me. I wanted to be free, to soar just like a Sparrow. The only way I could do that was if I was a pirate.

Now in case you haven't yet realised, pirates are technically against the law. They thieve and plunder, and loot and sack, and all sorts of other things that the law seems to think is unfitting. I would have agreed had I not felt so strongly about becoming a pirate. But I couldn't actually inform everyone that I would become a pirate, that was sort of against the point. So I told my mother I wished to help build ships in which the Majesties Navy would sail. And so I went to France where most of the merchant vessels were being built. And that was when I met her. She was at dock in a small shipping town. The most magnificent thing I had ever seen. All curves and black, truly a work of art, but few people went near her they thought her as demonic. But when you touched her, caressed her, my God it was heaven. Watching your fingers run along her body so smoothly, her hum as you worshiped her being. They thought I was mad for even wanting to be near her, for just wanting her. But I couldn't help myself. Upon laying eyes on her I wanted her, she had bewitched me into wanting her. I was hers and I was never breaking free. And so I left France, I took her from the dock which had held her prisoner since the demise of the previous man who had claimed her. I could never claim her, she had claimed me. I was, and always will be the Black Pearl's.

Still, I wasn't even nineteen when I got the Pearl, or when she got me. I still didn't know enough about the way of the sea. I could handle the Pearl, she helped me. In time she would become as much mine as I was hers. That was when I met Bill. Old Bootstrap, although he wasn't called Bootstrap then so it was just Bill, or William. He taught me about the sea and just what she meant to a ship like my Pearl. Absolute freedom. I had achieved what I had always wanted. I was free, the world was my sea and I was going to sail her. And I got very close to doing so.

That was when Barbossa came along. He joined the crew happy enough, slightly put off at the fact that the captain of the ship was only just twenty-three and the first mate was only a further two years older than the captain was. But at that point the crew were very loyal, and the Pearl was very much under my command. I can remember a time when one of the crew took the helm, usually it was just Bill, or myself but this idiot tried to steer her. My Pearl was not in the least bit happy at this stranger's command. So she and the sea conspired, the sea got very rough, Pearl could usually cut through anything, but not at the hands of this novice. He died, got tossed over and drowned. Taught the crew a very important lesson. Don't touch the Pearl's helm. She is a very hard to please lady.

As time went on the crew came and went, until there was a very brutal battle. Most of my men were lost during this battle. I took a blade to the back, almost severing my body in half. Bill being the dumb oaf that he was blamed himself. Now, I never once thought Bill to be in the least bit incapable. But the man was the most modest thing this side of the bloody ocean. And so when he blamed himself he said his skills weren't up to scratch. Which was a load of cods bollocks, we had been in plenty of scrapes and what have ye and not once had Bill even given any cause for concern over his skills with a blade, daggers or a pistol, the man could shoot a person at ninety paces.

All in all Bill refused to be First Mate any more and so Barbossa took the rank, he was the second best man for the job, Bill was the best. After all aren't you supposed to trust your First Mate? Well, I trusted Barbossa about as high as Ragitti could count. Which by the way is not very high at all. The man makes it to fourteen and discovers difficulties. No offence to the man's upbringing or mother but he is a complete plonker.

But the deed had been done and well, truth be told Barbossa wasn't too bad a first mate. True I would have rather had Bill but things don't always work out as we'd like. It's just the most hard thing to predict, mutiny I mean. I never really saw it coming and yet it didn't surprise me when it did happen. Barbossa wanted the Pearl and it's clear that he would stop at nothing to get her. So, I was left on a piece of land and Barbossa made of with my love. She would never bow to his command like she did mine. She would never hum at his touch like she did mine. Oh no, the Black Pearl was my love, she was my beauty. The only female who could ever claim to hold my heart. And that was something I was very happy about back then.

You see, when a woman can say she has your heart, and it's the truth, then you are in for a world of trouble. Because then you have feelings, and you care, and you do really stupid things that both infuriate and dazzle your beloved. And my luck being what it was that was when I met her. The beautiful and unattainable Miss Mara Warrington. She was all graceful and elegant and at that point in time I was a pirate with no ship or crew so…you could say I was between ships. I fell for her completely. It was a total mishap, which led to disaster, but in the end there was an optimistic outcome for her.

I stole her father's, Charles Warrington III, ship and made off with it. Mara of course was a hostage, well, more of a guest really. She had come along willingly, asking merely for a small adventure before she was settled down into a marriage. Of course she got more than an adventure, as I know for sure that she fell for me too. The ship was almost completely destroyed by a merchant ship and both Mara and myself went down with her. Now Mara had been with me for near two weeks by then and I must admit I would've done anything for her. When I resurfaced after the sinking of the ship and she didn't I let my human instinct take over. I went back down for her.

In the long run that was what saved me for the sure-fire end of the noose. Instead of killing me I was dropped off at the nearest port that held no connections what so ever to Duke Warrington, I never did see Mara again. I heard later from some fishwife in Nassau that she married that Prince fellow and settled down to reign in France as Princess until the demise of the King, then she would take the throne with her husband. I kind of helped her along there. As a wedding present. Not sure if she appreciated it but I'm still alive so, one must wonder. I'm not held in high regard with the French you see. Don't like them much, all wine and dancing. I prefer rum and pillaging.

So once again no ship, no crew, no money that was my own but then I very seldom had that. And I was left in Tortuga, which I must admit was a nice little change. I went from port to port, stealing ships, breaking hearts, looting, making a name for myself outside of my Pearl. Barbossa had made sure that everyone knew he was the Captain of the Black Pearl now. So really who would remember the young blundering Jack Sparrow when he wasn't a Captain? So I tried my very best to change that. I would be known as Captain Jack Sparrow or I would die trying. And so the idiotic quests began. I went to East India, nearly ransacked the entire port without anyone noticing. But I did get caught on that one and I got branded. Bloody hurt too. But still I got away from that. And the East India Trading Company were the ones left looking like fools. One pirate against no less than seven armed men, it was a rather brutal embarrassment.

I eventually got a ship and a steady crew, one who I could actually trust. That was when I met Joshamee Gibbs. Good man, good sailor too, drinks like a fish though. I met him in Nassau; we looted that port without a single shoot fired, rather easy. You see, we were sailing a merchant vessel, and so we were able to sail into port quite the thing. The men were dressed in somewhat respective clothes and we all just made our way into the town and had a bit of fun before reverting to our pirate ways. I ended up in the Governors house; nice place although I think they over did it with all the lace. It looked like a funeral parlour in the dark. Those places are just plain creepy. All eerie and dead like, I was in there once before and it scared the bejesus out of me. I mean what parent in their right mind leaves a ten-year-old in a room with three coffins, all filled and his older brother playing with the corpses?

Back to the point though. Where was I? Oh yes, Nassau's governors house. It was nice, over done but nice all the same. Now, you find in being a pirate that the more you can relate to people and either annoy the hell out of them or make them feel rather friendly then you'll get by much easier. Now, George Allan Williams was a relatively new governor, with his wife Isabelle and two daughters Millie and Joanna in the large house he was more than co-operative with the slightly insane yet rather friendly pirate that met him in his home on the night of his youngest daughters twenty-first birthday. Pretty lass too, would make a beautiful wife and probably a wonderful mother. Like I said, be friendly, it gets you places. So I was friendly. Reassured him all the time that I wouldn't be hurting no one and that his daughters were very safe from my horrible pirate nature. Well they were on that night any way. I'm a pirate, I can't help myself.

So after a long conversation, a very discreet loot and a night spent in the lush livings with the governor the boys and I left Nassau, looted and plundered, without them even realising till the next morning. Rather funny when you think about it. After the way that the governor handled the situation he was very much grateful to my actions on that night and a message was sent for me to attend a small bash of his to celebrate his social standing back in England. Ever the gentlemen I accepted and attended. The boys all headed to the tavern while I made for the governors house dressed rather appropriately for the occasion. Although I wasn't dressed for a long time. After meeting half of the people at the bash and being introduced as Jack Robin, which I wasn't too happy about, I ended up bumping into none other than the darling Miss Joanna Leigh Williams. She seemed rather delighted that I had actually attended, she then informed me of her anguish when I had last seen her and promised that her virtue was not in danger. It is very safe to assume that once this information was divulged her virtue was very much in danger and then discarded all together.

I became a frequent visitor to the port until her father decided it was time for her to be married off to a noble man. She was heartbroken but understanding. She didn't like sea travel so there wasn't even the option of her coming away with me. We ended our little affair on the day before her wedding. It's one thing to have an on going affair with the governors daughter, it's another thing when she's married. I have some moral standing believe it or not. I even attended the wedding. Of course that was probably because she pleaded with me to at least attend. She's got three lovely kids now. First son was named Jack, her husband still doesn't understand why.

So, after a while of sailing on that ship it was blown to pieces by a Spanish Battleship. So once more, I was left without a ship. We went to Tortuga, intent on drowning our sorrows and getting a warm bed with a warm woman. I think most of us did. I myself got a little more than I bargained for. That was the night I met the rather mysterious and witty AnaMaria, I still haven't found out her last name, doubt I ever will. So that night I was just walking down the street, planning on stopping by an old friends house and seeing what the lass was up to when I bumped into Ana, quite literally. She was rather annoyed and I was kinda fumbly. So I helped her pick up whatever it was she was carrying and offered to help her with it. After some coaxing and nearly ten minutes of assuring her I wasn't going to slit her throat and make off with her belongs she agreed to let me help her. She led me to her place and I helped her pack up all the fruit she had been lumping back to her small hut like home. She was grateful and asked if I would like some watermelon. Now, this may be the Caribbean but watermelon is a very difficult fruit to come by, so naturally I accepted her invitation and she shared some of the rare fruits she held. I must admit I had planned on getting lucky that night but I suppose just sitting in Ana's house, eating fruit and talking to the woman was enough, for that night.

After several weeks, myself actually getting a small job at the harbour, things progressed between Ana and myself. We had almost become friends but she was still very wary, I was a pirate, pirate's killed her parents, and so she had a very bleak outlook on us, thinking back I think I may have been responsible for the change in her opinion. Anyway, once night Ana got a hold on some passion fruit. Personally I don't particularly like the stuff, but Ana apparently loves it. So she was having a field day to herself with the stuff. She pelted me with one or two and I retaliated, we ended up on the floor of her kitchen, me hovering over her and her giggling a little pressed against me. I got caught up in the heat of the moment and kissed her. Now, I may not like passion fruit, but when I comes from Ana's mouth, then I could eat it all day. From then on in things were high sailing, until I 'stole' her boat. I did have every intention of bringing it back to her, but I was told that the Royal Navy in Port Royal had a magnificent ship that was the fastest in the fleet. I decided that I could try her out, see if she was as fast as my Pearl. So Ana took the hump with me after that, then there was the little adventure with young Mr Turner and the wily Miss Swann. After that whole thing I got my Pearl back. And in a sense I got Ana back. I didn't exactly look at it like I had lost her, come to think of it I never really had her to begin with but in many matters of the word I got her back, like the Pearl.

Remember when I said falling in love was a stupid thing to do? Scratch it, it's only stupid if it's ill fated, you find the right woman and she's no bother at all, as long as you don't get a hellcat, but I like my hellcat. Personally I wouldn't change anything about my Ana; cause that's what she is now. My AnaMaria, my first mate on my beautiful Pearl. I think I owe the whelp a token of gratitude, if it hadn't been of his rash thinking and devoted love to Miss Swann then I wouldn't have either of the women in my life. Funny ol' world, innit?


End file.
